So this is how I ended the prediction for last year.
So it’s possible the Gators could have their elusive perfect season at 10-0. It’s also possible that they could end up 8-2 and finish second behind Georgia again. That would not be good news for Gator fans. There is so much more important things happening than the state of college football this fall, but for football fans, it’s still an important thing. I hope we get to see the entire schedule play out. That would be a win for us all regardless of the outcome!
They did finish 8-2 but went to the SEC title game after tying for the SEC East with Georgia. The loss at TAMU wasn't a total surprise and except for a thrown shoe that will forever live in infamy or least for a little while, probably the loss against LSU could have been averted! But it's a new season and the Kyle to Kyle combo ain't walking back in the swamp except to stand on the sidelines and watch and remember what could have been if only we had a decent defense.
Well let's take a look at 2021, shall we?
For the second year in a row, the Gators open with a Lame Kitten team. Well, sort of. FAU comes to the swamp under the direction of another familiar coach in Willie Taggert, formerly of FSU, USF, and Oregon. I'm not sold on his coaching ability and he certainly doesn't have the talent he's had in previous stops. I think this one is a good game to get Emory Jones on track and build some confidence. Gators win comfortably.
In week two, the Gators travel to Tampa to play in the stadium that hosted the Super Bowl. Unless TB12 suits up for the Bulls, the fans won't be as excited. This game could be close for a half, but the depth and talent difference should eventually show up and the Gators should win this one by a couple of touchdowns.
The Tide rolls into the Swamp in week three. If you have to play the Tide in the regular season, this is a good year to do so. They lost a lot of talent on the offensive side of the ball and a few on the defense as well. The problem is they are so deep, it's not going to be a huge drop off. The Gators have a lot of new personnel as well that are unproven. Their new guys will probably be better than our new guys. The crowd in the Swamp will really need to be loud to make up the difference. A big play or a turnover could sway the game, but until the Gators beat the Tide on the field, I can't give them a W over Coach Saban.
The Vols make another appearance in September in the Swamp. It's hard to know how the team will respond the previous week's game, especially if it's close and a loss or a real blow-out. Mullen will have to do a great job getting these guys jacked up to play again against a team that on paper should not be as good as they were last year. And that wasn't real good honestly. The Vols did close better than the Gators last season but that had more to do with the opponents than the progression of the Vols. I think the Gators win, but they better come ready to play or they will suffer the second loss in a row.
The tough stretch of games continues for the Gators, (this is the SEC so what's new about that?), with a trip to horse country. There are many who think this might be the best team Kentucky has had in a long time. Until we see what the new Offensive Coordinator can do, it's hard for me to anoint them as second in the SEC East. This year is so tough to predict because I'm just not sold on Emory Jones as capable of making enough plays to win a shootout, yet! I think the Gators find a way to win a tough game, but if they lose, it's the season for forgetting!
The Gators get Vandy for homecoming the next week. With a first year coach and no real threats, Vandy should be an easy game. But there is something about Vandy that brings out the worst in the Gators. This year, I think they will get well against the Dores. If Emory plays well, it's not close. If he hasn't played well, look for local hero Richardson to step in at QB for the majority of this game. Gators win at home.
The Gators could be 5-1 or 3-3 at this point in the season. With the game at LSU in front of them, the answer to the first part could define the second part of the season. This game is a toss up at best for the Gators. But if they are 3-3 they get blown out in Death Valley. If they are still in the hunt for the SEC east, they win. I think the Gators have better talent than the Tigers but it all depends on what's still in play for both teams in terms of possible titles.
The annual showdown in Jacksonville will decide who wins the East again. The Gators might not be in a position to win it though. Everybody has crowned the Dogs as the winners in the East before a single snap has been taken. That's not unusual. The media always loves the Dogs. While they will probably lose to Clemson to start the year, they should be favored to be undefeated in the SEC when they arrive in Jacksonville. I don't think they leave that way, but that's assuming the Gator team still wants to play and hasn't had a handful of guys opt out if things go south!
Florida travels to South Carolina and should be able to hand the Fighting Chickens. I'm going to err on the side of optimism and think that the Gators still have a lot to play for down the stretch beside pride. Gators get a win in Columbia either way.
My Alma Mater comes to town the next week. The Samford Bulldogs will show up and put up a good effort for a quarter or so. They just don't have enough talent to match up with the Gators for a whole game. It could be closer than some think, but I have no delusions that these Dogs can knock off the Gators.
The Gators hit the road for the last time to travel to the Columbia of the West to face the Missouri Tigers. The Gators don't play well there traditionally and depending on how the season goes, there may or may not be a lot to play for on this trip. I think Missouri will be a scary team for many this season and the Gators will need to wake up with some intensity if they want to come back with a W. I think they get it done late in the game which will still be early in Gainesville.
FSU should be better than last year. The Gators may not be. However, the Gators should still be better than FSU in Gainesville. The Noles go home unhappy to feast on Thanksgiving leftovers and start contemplating how to buy out another coach's contract.
There are a lot of maybes and could be's in those predictions. So it's really possible for the Gators to finish 11-1 and face a rematch with Alabama. It's also likely that will finish 10-2 and finish behind Georgia in the East. It's also easily possible for them to finish 8-4 or worse!
Until Emory Jones proves he can be an every down quarterback and Todd Grantham can prove that last year was just a product of Covid rust in tackling and coverages, I can't see the Gators winning the championship this year. I think the 10-2 scenario is the most likely but I could also see a 7-5 season if they don't progress or get some bad breaks along the way.
Hopefully I'm wrong for all us Gator fans!
